Bay Leaves CU Program

Point guard Kal Bay will not be part of next season's CU basketball team, the school has confirmed. It's the fourth scholarship player from last year's freshman class that won't return.

“We acknowledge that Kal will not be back and that he will be pursuing other options available to him,” CU head coach Jeff Bzdelik said in a released statement on Monday.

Kal Bay started 12 games for the Buffs in 2006-07, and played in 27. He quickly developed a reputation as a strong leader among his teammates despite his freshman status when he joined the team last year out of Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Ariz. Bay averaged 6.3 points per game last season, and made 43 3-pointers, second most on the team.

The 6-1 guard was among the most vocal in showing his excitement after the team's first practices under Bzdelik, who took over for Ricardo Patton in April. Following the Buffs' 7-20 season, Bay called his first practice under Bzdelik "a wonderful change."

He added, “He taught us so much today. ... It was a lot different and I think we all appreciated it.”

Since that practice in early April, four players are no longer part of the program. Along with Bay, guard James Inge, forward Sean Kowal and center Marc Van Burck have left the team.

Bzdelik signed 6-4 guard Cory Higgins to a letter of intent to play at CU this coming season, and 6-9 forward Casey Crawford has transfered to CU from Wake Forest. (He won't be eligible until fall 2008 due to transfer rules). But with Bay's departure, it leaves the 2007-08 Buffs with 11 of a possible 13 players on its roster on scholarship.